Happy Friday Everyone! We hope that everyone is enjoying this beautiful summer day! In June we decided that we would be open Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for tours of the Shaw Mansion and for research visits. At this point in the summer we have decided that as we move forward we will be open Saturdays by appointment ONLY. This schedule will continue throughout the fall, winter, and spring in order to accommodate those that wish to visit us here at the Shaw Mansion. We want to serve our constituency the best we can, and we feel that not being open for regular operating hours on Saturdays, but offering appointment opportunities, is the best way to serve each and every one of you who supports us and ensure that each visit is memorable! If you have any questions or wish to schedule an appointment for a tour of the Shaw Mansion or research on an upcoming Saturday please don’t hesitate to reach us at 860-443-1209. Reminder: Normal operating hours are Wednesday-Friday 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays by appointment ONLY. We appreciate your support tremendously!

POMFRET – At their fall annual meeting, the Association for the Study of Connecticut History presented two awards to “The Rockets’ Red Glare” project. The Bruce Fraser Award, recognizing the finest public history presentation in the state in 2012, was presented to the Lyman Allyn Art Museum, where the exhibition was on display from July 2012 through January of this year. The Betty M. Linsley Award, recognizing the best work on Connecticut history published by a historical society in 2012 was presented to the New London County Historical Society for the companion book to the exhibit, of which Glenn Gordinier, of Mystic Seaport, was the primary author. “THE ROCKETS’ RED GLARE” was created by a partnership of the New London County Historical Society with Mystic Seaport, the Stonington Historical Society, the New London Maritime Society, and the Lyman Allyn Art Museum to commemorate the bicentennial of the beginning of the War of 1812. The museums and historical societies worked together in creating the exhibition, the book, and a website (available at http://warof1812ct.org). Fred Calebretta, Curator of Collections at Mystic Seaport was the curator for the exhibit, and Jeff Crewe, the exhibit designer. In presenting the Bruce Fraser Award, Chairman Peter […]

Plan now to Join us for the 2013 Cruise on the Thames River, sponsored by Cross Sound Ferry Saturday 19 October, 2013 Boarding at Cross Sound Ferry Landing begins at 12:30 pm ~ Departing 1 pm ~ Returning to the wharf at 4 pm Cruise on the Cross Sound Ferry SEAJET (or JESSICA W) from New London to Norwich and back with the New London County Historical Society Tickets can now be purchased for our Fall Foliage cruise of the Thames River. Members: $45.00, Non-members $55.00. Purchase tickets on the web at our Constant Contact event listing. Or call the Shaw Mansion (401.443.1209) during the day with your credit card information or send a check to us at 11 Blinman Street, New London, CT 06320. Join us for an extraordinary afternoon of fall colors, wine, and hors d’oeuvres while revisiting the legacy of steamboats on the Thames River. A free wine-tasting will be offered by Gordon’s Yellow Front Wine and Spirits aboard the vessel during the cruise with special offers of case pricing available only for orders taken that day. Bill Peterson, Senior Curator Emeritus from Mystic Seaport and author of Mystic Built, will share his knowledge of the history of steamboat travel to Norwich. From […]

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NASHVILLE, TN—June 2013—The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) proudly announces that a collaboration of the New London County Historical Society, Mystic Seaport, the Stonington Historical Society, the New London Maritime Society, and the Lyman Allyn Art Museum is the recipient of an Award of Merit from the AASLH Leadership in History Awards for The Rockets’ Red Glare—Connecticut and the War of 1812. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards, now in its 68th year, is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history. The Rockets’ Red Glare featured a “three-fold” approach to sharing the impact of the War of 1812 on the state, including an exhibition at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum, a companion book published by the New London County Historical Society, and a website. While the exhibition closed in January 2013, the book is still available for sale from each of the partners in the project, and the website is available at “warof1812ct.org”. The exhibition showcased historical objects from each of the partners’ collections. The 12’ x 18’ American flag that flew over Stonington during the attack by the British navy in 1814, a treasured artifact in the […]

Saturday 20 October, 2012 Boarding at Cross Sound Ferry Landing begins at 12:30 pm ~ Departing 1 pm ~ Returning to the wharf at 4 pm Cruise on the Cross Sound Ferry SEAJET from New London to Norwich and back with the New London County Historical Society Tickets can now be purchased online for our Fall Foliage cruise of the Thames River. Members: $40.00, Non-members $50.00. Join us for an extraordinary afternoon of fall colors, wine, and hors d’oeuvres while learning the history of the Thames River as a refuge for Commodore Stephen Decatur during the War of 1812. A free wine-tasting will be offered by Gordon’s Yellow Front Wine and Spirits aboard the vessel during the cruise with special offers of case pricing available only for orders taken that day. Several authors of the NLCHS published book, THE ROCKET’S RED GLARE: The War of 1812 and Connecticut, will take turns at the microphone sharing some of the important connections between the war and the places we will be visiting. Music of the War of 1812 will be featured between speakers. Also aboard will be a number of “people from the past” portraying the 1812 period. Hors d’oeuvres, both sweet and savory will be available […]

On the 200th anniversary of the declaration of war against Britain, the New London County Historical Society launched a new website “Connecticut and the War of 1812.” Available at: http://warof1812ct.org, the internet resource is a third component sharing information about this important turning point in the state and the nation’s history. “THE ROCKETS’ RED GLARE” commemorates the bicentennial year of the beginning of the War of 1812 and was created by a partnership of the historical society with Mystic Seaport, the Stonington Historical Society, the New London Maritime Society, and the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. These museums and historical societies have worked together in creating a book which has just been released, and an exhibition which opened at the Lyman Allyn on Friday 6 July. Edward Baker, Executive Director of the New London County Historical Society, describes the website as, “A little bit of the book, and a little bit of the exhibition,” whose aim is to share this information as broadly as possible. “If you search through most books on the War of 1812 and look for references to Connecticut you won’t find many. But if you look at our website and check just the listing of British ships stationed […]

… well actually, it is Jennifer who portrays Miss Perkins who will be greeting you at the door and providing a tour of the Shaw Mansion with a special perspective. Jennifer Emerson has done a great deal of research to create the role of “Miss Jane Perkins” as she lived in this house in 1876 (and sold the house to the historical society in 1907), and we have offered “first-person interpretive performances” staring Jennifer in the role of Miss Perkins. These “Tea with Miss Perkins” performances have been very popular over the past three years. The cast of characters grew to include the maid, and “Mother” – Mrs. Perkins, and occasionally a brother or two. The tours on these Saturdays, however, will feature Jennifer in the “third-person” sharing with our visitors some of the intimate knowledge she has gleaned in her research. Although Jennifer will be in her “period attire” (as her dress and accessories are accurate to the time we prefer that phrase to “historic costume”), she will not be trying to maintain the role of Miss Perkins. So you won’t be seeing the ghost of Miss Perkins, but you will be gaining some truly hidden information. This unique opportunity to learn more about […]

Come to the Shaw Mansion for Connecticut’s Historic Garden Day Sunday 24 June join us at the Shaw Mansion for Connecticut’s Historic Gardens Day. Your $5 admission to the gardens will provide opportunities for learning and enjoying the garden in the current, or the 19th century. Connecticut Master Gardener Trainer Susan Munger will host garden tours and share her expertise. A local Croquet Club will set up their wickets on the lawn and share some of the secrets to this game (as played by the serious-minded competitors). In the afternoon, “Miss Perkins and friends” will entertain with period music, a “Language of Flowers” tour and perhaps a game of croquet. There will be plants available for sale, and strawberry shortcake for everyone! Open 12 noon to 4:00 pm.

THE ROCKETS’ RED GLARE: THE WAR OF 1812 AND CONNECTICUT, Glenn Gordinier (primary author), with additional contributions from James Boylan, Meredith Mason Brown, Fred Calabretta, Frances M. Caulkins, James Tertius de Kay, Andrew German, Jerry Roberts, Nancy Steenburg, and Matt Warshauer This new book published by the New London County Historical Society, will be celebrated at a reception and book-signing at the Shaw Mansion, 11 Blinman Street, New London, CT, Friday evening, 8 June, 4:30 to 6:30. The book is accompaniment to the forthcoming exhibit: The Rocket’s Red Glare ~ Connecticut and the War of 1812, which will open the following month at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. Both projects are the result of a partnership between Mystic Seaport, the Stonington Historical Society, the New London County Historical Society, the New London Maritime Society, and the Lyman Allyn Art Museum, and have been supported by grants from the Connecticut Humanities Council and others. Although the two projects are similar in name, they are not the same. The book attempts to provide a broader focus and to put what was happening in Connecticut within the larger framework of the war and international affairs. The exhibition is a bit more limited in […]

The Shaw Mansion — Connecticut’s Naval War Office during the American Revolution — is one of several RevolutionaryCT sites participating in a letterboxing trail. Interested in learning more about Connecticut’s role in the American Revolution? How about visiting 13 Revolutionary War sites in Connecticut and looking for clues to a hidden geocache? Would adding a little mystery and fun to your history visits be an engaging idea? Then check out the Revolutionary CT website and begin your quest to get all 13 stamps. [To the right is your visual clue for the letterbox you’ll be able to locate at the Shaw Mansion.]